Decapper

ABSTRACT

The decapper has opposed jaws mounted on pivotally connected arms. Each jaw has a flat stop face for engaging the top of the vial cap, and an arcuate gripping edge spaced from the stop face a distance equal to the distance from the top of the vial rim to the top of the cap. The jaw is relieved between the gripping edge and stop face. In one embodiment, a ramp is provided to wedge the cap upwardly as the jaws are moved toward each other.

United States Patent [191 Koebbeman DECAPPER [76] Inventor: Ralph F. Koebbeman, 4910 Kilbum Ave., Rockford, Ill. 61 103 [22] Filed: July 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 272,554

[52] US. Cl. 81/3.44 [51] Int. Cl B67b 7/00 [58] Field of Search 81/336, 3.37, 3.4, 3.42, 1 81/3.44, 3.46

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 71,129 12/1927 Sweden 81/144 315,839 10/1956 Switzerland 8I/3.44

311,158 2/1919 Germany 81/342 [4 June 18, 1974 Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Assistant Examiner Mark S. Bicks Attorney, Agent, or Firm-MorsbacIh, Pillote & Muir ABSTRACT The decapper has opposed jaws mounted on pivotally connected arms. Each jaw has a flat stop face for engaging the top of the vial cap, and an arcuate gripping edge spaced from the stop face a distance equal to the distance from the top of the vial rim to the top of the cap. The jaw is relieved between the gripping edge and stop face. In one embodiment, a ramp is provided to wedge the cap upwardly as the jaws are moved toward each other.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures DECAPPER BACKGROUND The invention pertains generally to tools, and more particularly to a tool in which the jaw is positioned by relatively movable handles.

It is frequently desirable to easily remove the cap and septum from a vial, even though the septum-cap arrangement is a very secure closure. It is known that in hospitals scissors, nail files, and like instruments are used for such decapping. Obviously such tools are not designed for decapping and are inefficient at best. One

decapper which is on the market is a modification of the structure shown in US. Pat. No. 2,643,805, issued June 30, 1953, to Josef Muller-Strobel. This is a relatively complex tool and sells for about 80 dollars. An efficient, simplified decapper is desirable.

SUMMARY The present invention relates generally to a decapper and, more particularly, to a decapper for removing the cap from a vial of the type which has a rubber septum inserted into the neck of the vial and an aluminum cap which is crimped over the rim of the vial.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a decapper for removing the cap from a vial of the type described.

Another object is to provide a decapper which will simultaneously remove the cap and septum from a vial.

Still another object is to provide a decapper, of simplified construction, which is easily manipulated to remove the cap from a vial.

Yet another object is to provide a decapper in accordance with the foregoing object and which has jaws positioned by relatively movable plural handles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a decapper in which the cap and septum are lifted when opposed jaws are moved toward each other.

These, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a decapper constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the jaw as seen from line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in which the outline of the cap is shown in a dot-dash line and the jaws are positioned with their gripping edges in contact with the cap;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the jaws and a vial showing an initial relationship of the various parts before the jaws contact the cap;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 4 but showing the relationship of the parts in a moved position; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively, but showing another embodiment of the jaws.

DESCRIPTION Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the several views. In considering the drawing, it should be kept in mind that FIGS.

l and 3 show a decapper, generally designated 10, from the bottom. That is, FIGS. 1 and 3 show the side of the decapper which would face downwardly when placed upon the cap of a vial.

The decapper 10 is especially designed to remove a cap 11 and septum 12 from a via] 13. The cap 11 is made of a deformable material such as aluminum; while the vial is usually made of glass, and the septum 12 is made of a resilient material such as rubber. As can be seen from FIGS. 4-7, the septum 12 has a reduced portion which fits into the neck of the vial to seal the same and a peripheral portion which overlies the top of the bottle, which top is indicated by the numeral 14. The aluminum cap 11 has a skirt portion which is crimped underneath the rims of the bottle as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6.

The decapper 10 has opposed jaws 22 and 23 which are affixed to arms 24 and 25, respectively. The arms 24 and 25 are pivotally connected intermediate their ends as by pivot 26. In this manner, the jaws 22 and 23 are positioned by relatively movable arms or handles in the manner of a pair of pliers.

Jaws 22 and 23 are mirror images of each other; therefore, a description of one of the jaws may be taken as applying to the other jaw. It can be seen from FIG. 1, that the jaws have opposed faces 31 which conveniently engage each other when the jaws are in the position shown in FIG. 1. A stop face 32 is arranged perpendicular to face 31 for overlying and resting on the top of the cap as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. An inwardly facing gripping edge 33 is spaced from the stop face 32 a distance approximately equal to, but no greater than, the distance from the top of the cap 11 to the top 14 of the vial. Gripping edge 33is arcuate and on a radius different from the radius of the exterior of the cap 11. Preferably, the radius of the gripping edge 33 is less than the radius of the cap 11. An undercut 34 is provided between the gripping edge 33 and stop face 32 to provide a relief in that area. A ramp 35 extends outwardly from the gripping edge 33 in a direction away from the stop face 32 so that the ramp raises the cap 11 and septum 12 as the gripping edge is moved inwardly as shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the radius of the gripping edge 33 is less than the radius of the exterior of the cap 11. This arrangement permits the opposite ends of the gripping edge of each jaw to initially make contact with the cap prior to any other portion of the gripping edge. In this manner, the gripping edge can deform the aluminum cap 11 with less pressure than if contact were made along the full length of the gripping edge. A slight movement of the jaws toward .each other starts the deformation of the cap 11, as

shown in FIG. 5, and the ramp 35 raises the cap 11 and septum 12. The cap and septum can then be removed by further squeezing, or a mere twist of the decapper 10 relative to the vial 13, or other relative movement.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown another embodiment of the jaws and similar parts to those previously described are indicated by the same numeral with a prime postscript. In this embodiment, jaws 22' and 23' each have a gripping edge 33' spaced from stop face 32 a distance approximately equal to, but no greater than, the distance from the top of the cap 11 to the top 14 of the vial 13. The relief is provided by a differently shaped undercut 44 which extends from the gripping edge 33' in a direction away from the bottle cap and toward the stop face 32. A flat portion 45 extends outwardly from the gripping edge 33 and parallel to the stop face 32'. In this manner, portion 45 rides inwardly over the top of the vial as the gripping edge is moved inwardly, as shown in FIG. 7.

It is now deemed obvious that the present invention provides a decapper of simplified construction which has opposed jaws each of which has an arcuate gripping edge spaced from a stop face a distance no greater than the distance from the top of the cap to the top of the vial, and an undercut portion between the gripping edge and the stop face. When the jaws are moved toward each other to a gripping position, the gripping edge deforms the cap at the top of the vial so that the cap and septum can be simultaneously removed from the vial. Preferably, the radius of the arcuate gripping edge is less than the radius of the cap. In one embodiment a ramp is provided for raising the cap and septum as the gripping edge is moved inwardly.

It is possible to position a stop (not shown) between jaws 23, 24 to limit their movement toward each other. The stop may be arranged so that the septum 12 is not distorted or damaged when the cap is removed. Preferably, the stop is dimensioned so the cap 11 is removed and the septum l2.is left on the bottle. In any event, the stop prevents any damage to the septum which may thereafter be reused.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have herein been illustrated and described, this has been done by way of illustration and not limitation, and the invention should not be limited except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

l. A decapper adapted for removing the cap from a vial of the type having a rubber septum inserted into the neck of the vial and a deformable metal cap crimped under the rim of the vial, the decapper includa pair of arms pivotally connected at a pivot axis intermediate their ends for movement between an open position and a gripping position;

each arm having a hand-gripping portion adjacent one end and an inwardly facing jaw adjacent the other end so that said jaws are opposed; and

each jaw having means for overlying and resting on the top of the cap including a stop face in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis,

a inwardly-facing, smooth, arcuate gripping and deforming edge which is spaced from the stop face a preselected distance,

the smooth gripping and deforming edge being formed by two surfaces at an acute angle to each other, one of the surfaces being parallel to the stop face, and the other surface extending outwardly from said edge in a direction way from the stop face to form a cap-rising ramp,

the smooth gripping and deforming edge having opposite ends which define means for initially contacting and deforming the cap, and

an undercut portion between the gripping and deforming edge and the stop face forming a relief extending the full length of the gripping and de forming edge;

whereby the ends of the gripping and deforming edge deform the cap when the opposed jaws are moved toward each other, the relief in each jaw provides space for the portion of the cap above the vial rim, and the ramp raises the cap and septum as the gripping edge is moved inwardly. 

1. A decapper adapted for removing the cap from a vial of the type having a rubber septum inserted into the neck of the vial and a deformable metal cap crimped under the rim of the vial, the decapper including: a pair of arms pivotally connected at a pivot axis intermediate their ends for movement between an open position and a gripping position; each arm having a hand-gripping portion adjacent one end and an inwardly facing jaw adjacent the other end so that said jaws are opposed; and each jaw having means for overlying and resting on the top of the cap including a stop face in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis, a inwardly-facing, smooth, arcuate gripping and deforming edge which is spaced from the stop face a preselected distance, the smooth gripping and deforming edge being formed by two surfaces at an acute angle to each other, one of the surfaces being parallel to the stop face, and the other surface extending outwardly from said edge in a direction way from the stop face to form a cap-rising ramp, the smooth gripping and deforming edge having opposite ends which define means for initially contacting and deforming the cap, and an undercut portion between the gripping and deforming edge and the stop face forming a relief extending the full length of the gripping and deforming edge; whereby the ends of the gripping and deforming edge deform the cap when the opposed jaws are moved toward each other, the relief in each jaw provides space for the portion of the cap above the vial rim, and the ramp raises the cap and septum as the gripping edge is moved inwardly. 